“In traditional Judaism, it does go against Jewish law,” said Rabbi Donald Kunstadt of Springhill Avenue Temple. Kunstadt cited Leviticus 19:28, which says: “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.”

The prohibition in Leviticus, he said, likely referred to idolatry. “People were probably tattooing names of pagan gods on their bodies or their representations,” he said. “This was clearly the focus of the prohibition.”

Jeremy Steele, Next Generation minister at Christ United Methodist Church, described the Leviticus passage as “part of instructions that are bound very closely to the original culture.”

“It definitely says that you shouldn’t do that, but it is surrounded by verses that instruct you to not cut your hair and not eat meat with blood still in it,” said Steele, whose ministry targets college students.

But a sin? Not as far as the Bible is concerned, he said.

“The reason for all of these statements is because all of those practices were involved in worship practices for other gods in the surrounding area. In other words, these things carried cultural meaning that said much more than ordering a rare steak or choosing a bob cut,” he said.

This does not, he said, mean Christians should ignore what Leviticus says. “Basically, the tattoo communicates far more than its content, and needs to be understood within its intended cultural context," said Steele, who added that, no, he does not have a tattoo.

Increasingly, though, believers are using tattoos to express their faith. One very public example of such expression is San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick is inked all over, but his first two tattoos were Bible verses from Psalms. In fact, the celebratory practice in which the quarterback kisses the "Faith" tattoo on his biceps is called "Kaepernicking."

The Rev. Msgr. Stephen Martin, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Mobile, said he isn’t aware of a “specific teaching” regarding tattoos but that the Catholic Church considers mutilating oneself to be wrong. The size or prominence of the tattoo could play a role in the morality question.

“We believe that we have all been created in the image and likeness of God and that our bodies are a gift from God," Martin said. "The image or sign chosen could also itself be wrong, such as something that celebrates evil or sin," he said.

(Update: A commenter, "talpoid," suggested we broaden our list of religions and what they say about tattooing. In short, Buddhism has no specific restrictions, though vanity is an issue; Islam doesn't allow it; and for Hinduism, it's a bit more complicated.")